Need millions of gallons water? Call CSA

Looking for high volumes of industrial water? The Internet could narrow one's search as the Cambria Somerset Authority voted in favor of taking business online Monday.

Linked through the Johnstown Area Regional Industries Web page, the CSA's new site will be up and running in the next several months.

"It's going to be pretty basic," said vice chairman Jim Greco. "It'll give us visibility and give us access to these groups (seeking large quantities of water.)"

The CSA will be listed under JARI's utilities section.

Those looking to develop business in industry in the area often use JARI as a resource. It serves as a development partner, marketing strengths of businesses in the Cambria and Somerset communities.

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"We have to be able to market our water and to do that we have to have a target audience," said Greco.

Create Solutions of Somerset will design the page at a cost not to exceed $2,250.

Greco said the authority hopes to reach a new base of customers with the site.

"We're only selling maybe 25 percent of what we're capable of selling," said Greco, noting 80 million gallons of water could be sold per day.

While the CSA isn't near that number yet, there is hope to attract businesses who are looking to locate in the area.

"We've had several potential customers but they have fizzled away because of the poor economy," said Greco.

He blames much of that on the decline of wholesale electric energy prices.

"Our biggest customers are electric energy generators," he said.

At least two projects planning on coming into the area and using CSA water have been canceled or placed on hold.

"They can't make enough money to finance their project," he said. "We've been hurt by the economy."

But Greco said there are other industries that use large quantities of water for operations. From powdered metals, manufacturing or pharmaceuticals, he is hopeful to attract some new customers to the area.

"It'd be nice to get another 10 million a day." he said. "We anticipate selling one million more a day to the Somerset project.

"The rest is for the future really."

In other business:

Nearly $300,000 will be spent to develop recreation at Wilmore Dam in Cambria County.

A Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant for $118,000 was recently received to help fund the project.

"We've matched that with $120,000 form various municipalities and organizations," said Greco.

There will be two designated recreation areas with picnic tables and pavilions. A handicapped accessible fishing pier as well as a boat launch will be available.

The CSA also purchased a piece of property along Law Road to make the development possible.

"There's no way to get to it right now. This opens it up to the public," said Greco. "That gives access right to the reservoir."

Greco said the area could be open to the public as early as this fall.